This county was formed from Albany as "Charlotte" county March 12, 1772.  Its name was changed April 2, 1784.  Clinton County was taken off in 1788; the eastern portion was ceded to Vermont in 1790; a strip along its southern border was annexed from Albany February 7, 1791, and Warren County was taken off in 1813.  It lies on the eastern border of the State, is centrally distant from Albany forty-five miles, and contains and area of 850 square miles.  The original bounds of this county were as follows:  All that part of the State north of the present county of Saratoga and of a line extending from the mouth of Stony Creek 510 chains east; thence south to the Batten Kil, and along that stream to the southern line of Princetown, and thence to "Cumberland" county  Its western line was the present western line of Saratoga County continued to Canada, and its eastern line the western line of "Cumberland" and "gloucester" counties.  These limits embraced the western half of Vermont, north of the Batten Kil, and the present counties of Warren, Essex, Clinton and a part of Franklin.

Argyle was granted by patent May 21, 1764, and formed as a town March 23, 1786.  Greenwich was taken off in 1803, and Fort Edward in 1818.  It lies near the center of the county.

Cambridge was incorporated by patent July 21, 1761.  It was formed as a town in Albany County March 7, 1788, and annexed to Washington County February 7, 1791.  White Creek and Jackson were taken off in 1815.

Dresden was formed from Putnam as "South Bay," March 15, 1822.  Its present name was adopted April 17, 1822.  It lies between Lake George and the southern extremity of Lake Champlain.

Easton was formed from Stillwater and Saratoga March 3, 1789, while a part of Albany County, and so named from being the eastern town in Saratoga Patent.  It was annexed to Washington County February 7, 1791.  It lies upon the eastern bank of the Hudson.

Fort Ann was formed, as "West Field," March 23, 1786.  Hartford was taken off in 1793, and Putnam in 1806.  It received its present name April 6,1808, from the old fort erected here in 1709.  It lies south of the southern extremity of Lake Champlain, and southeast of Lake George.

Fort Edward was formed from Argyle April 10, 1818.  It lies upon the eastern bank of the Hudson, near the center of the western border of the county.

Granville was formed March 23, 1786.  It is situated upon the eastern border of the county, north of the center.

Greenwich was formed from Argyle March 4, 1803.  It lies on the eastern border of  the county, in the norther angle formed by the junction of the Hudson and Batten Kil.

Hampton was formed March 3, 1786.  It lies upon the eastern border of the county, north of the center.

Hartford was formed from "Westfield" (now Fort Ann) March 12, 1793.  It lies near the center of the county.

Hebron was formed March 23, 1786, and named from Hebron, Connecticut.  It lies near the center fof the eastern border of the county.

Jackson was formed from Cambridge, April 17, 1815.  It lies on the eastern border of the county, south of the center.

Kingsbury was incorporated by patent May 11, 1762, and recognized as a town by the State government March 23, 1786.  It lies on the western border of the county, north of the center.

Putnam was formed from "Westfield" (now Fort Ann) February 28, 1806.  Dresden was set off in 1822.  This town lies in the extreme northern end of the county, upon the mountainous peninsula between Lakes George and Champlain.

Salem was formed by patent August 7, 1764, and was recognized by statute March 23, 1786.  It lies on the eastern border of the county, south of the center.

White Creek was formed from Cambridge April 17, 1815.  It is the southeast corner town of the county.

Whitehall was incorporated by patent November 12, 1763, as :Skenesborough."  Its name was changed March 23, 1786.  It lies at the southern extremity of Lake Champlain.